Cannabis Industry Update: Insiders’ View

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The legal cannabis industry has been ranked by Bloomberg as one of the fastest growing markets in the world. Despite Federal illegality, cannabis is now medicinally legal in 30 states and 8 recreationally. The market is expected to exceed $22.6 billion in revenue in 2021, up from $6.7 billion in 2016.

Come hear about the investment and entrepreneurial opportunities in the cannabis market and key financial and regulatory issues facing investors in this market.

This program will begin with a review by Scott Grieper of Viridian Capital Advisors on the flow of capital coming into the cannabis industry worldwide, and which industry sectors are attracting the most capital. Viridian has tracked investment and M&A activity in the legal cannabis industry, which has included more than $1.2 billion of investment capital through the end of June 2017 – a 5x increase vs. the same period in 2016.

Following the presentation, Holland & Knight attorney Laury Lucien will moderate a discussion between panelists, including entrepreneurial leaders of Boston- and New England-based businesses in the cannabis industry, representing both technology and service arenas.

Moderator: Laury Lucien is an attorney with Holland & Knight in Boston and focuses on healthcare and life sciences matters as well as corporate services and mergers and acquisitions.

Panelists: Scott Grieper is the Founder and President of Viridian Capital Advisors, LLC, a financial and strategic advisory firm dedicated to the medicinal and legal cannabis market. Viridian’s banking practice, through broker-dealer Pickwick Capital Partners, LLC (Member FINRA/SIPC), provides capital and M&A to fund the growth of Viridian's clients, while its advisory practice helps to position and build their businesses.

Shanel Lindsay is Founder and President, Ardent LLC. Boston-based lawyer and patient advocate, Shanel founded Ardent LLC and invented the precision medicinal cannabis tool, the Ardent Decarboxylator, along with Ardent’s suite of wellness and beauty products. Shanel drafted Massachusetts’ adult use cannabis law, is a founding member and co-chair of the Northeast Cannabis Coalition and counsel to the Massachusetts Patients Advocacy Alliance. She was both recently appointed to the newly-formed Massachusetts Cannabis Advisory Board, where she will work with the Massachusetts government to develop and implement regulations for the medical and adult use markets, and honored by the Boston Business Journal’s “40 under 40” for 2017.

Jason Sidman is the CEO & CFO of Sanctuary Medicinals. Sanctuary ATC is one of four medicinal cannabis license holders in the State of New Hampshire whereas Sanctuary Medicinals, Inc. holds three licenses in the State of Massachusetts. Jason has witnessed firsthand the profound effects cannabinoids can have in coping with cancer and the side effects of treatment with western medicine. He is committed to safe patient access of cannabinoids and cannabinoid-related research to further knowledge of the undeniable potential of cannabis.

James Alex is a commercial real estate professional with 27 years of experience working with some of the nation’s largest retailers. Mr. Alex is President & COO of Premier Healthcare Group, LLC., a for profit management company providing services to Sanctuary Medicinals, Inc. Sanctuary is a not-for-profit Registered Marijuana Dispensary (RMD) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mr. Alex has used his business experience to assist Sanctuary ATC in marketing, advertising and branding their organic products to the medical cannabis community.